robison



S. D. AND C. W. ROBISON.

FORK.

APPLICATION min sin. 19. 1918.

Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

- snsns-snzn 2.

WIYNESS INVINTOR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

SAMUEL D. ROIBISON AND CHARLES W. ROBISON, 0F MGKEES ROCKS, PENNSYLVANIA.

FORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

Application filed September 19, 1918. Serial No. 254,722.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SAMUEL D. RoBIsoN and CHARLES W. RoBIsoN, citizens of the United States, residing at McKees Rocks, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Forks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to forks adapted for shoveling coke or coal, or for any other purpose wherein the fork is found applicable, and has for its object to provide, a fork for such purpose, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, having means for reinforcing the body portion and upper parts of the prongs or tines thereby increasing the durability of the device.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a fork for the purpose set forth, which is simple in its construction and arran ement, strong, durable, efficient when use readily assembled and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

l/Vith the foregoing and other objects in view this invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arran ement of parts as hereinafter more speci cally described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a plan of a blank showing in dotted lines a pair of fork bodies to be cut therefrom.

Fig. 2 is a like view showin in dotted lines a pair of fork bodies an reinforcements to be cut therefrom.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a fork in accordance with this invention with the handle-bar thereof broken away.

Fig. 4 is a section on line IV-IV, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the fork with the handle broken away.

Fig. 6 is a detail illustratin the retaining means on the fork body or the reinforcement.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings 7 denotes a sheet metal blank, rectangular in contour and from which a pair of fork bodies is stamped. The dotted lines 8, in Fig. 1, denote the outline of one fork body J and the dotted lines 9, in Fig. 1, denote the outlines of the other fork body. By this arrangement two fork bodies are stamped from a single blank and which provides for a considerable saving in metal and time in the manufacture of the article.

Referring to Fig. 2, 1O denotes a sheet metal blank from which a pair of reinforcements for a pair of fork bodies are stamped. In Fig. 2, 11 denotes the outlines of the reinforcements. The reinforcements substantially conform in contour with the upper part of a fork body and by this method of stamping out the reinforcements a considerable saving in metal and time is obtained.

When the fork bodies are stamped from the blank 7, they are provided with openings 13, for countersunk securing rivets. When the reinforcements are stamped from blank 10, they are provided with apertures 14, for countersunk securing rivets. The apertures 13, of a fork body are adapted to a ine with the apertures 14 of a reinforcement.

Referring to Figs. 3 to 6 of the drawings, 15 denotes the body of the fork and which has extending therefrom a series of spaced prongs or tines 16, each provided with beveled free ends as at 17. The gullets formed between the prongs or tines 16, have the top wall thereof oppositely beveled as at 18.

The body 15, has openings 19 and 20, and the prongs or tines 16, are formed with openin 21.

The ody 15, is formed with a tapered extension 22, which terminates in a semi-cylindrical socket forming member 23, having the openings 13.

The body 15, is provided with a pair of bendable lugs 25, formed with openings 26, and each corner of the body 15, is bent upon itself to form a retaining lip as at 27, having an opening 28.

Arranged at the rear of the body 15, is a reinforcing member formed with body portion 29, having extending therefrom a series of prongs or tines 30, of less length than the prongs or tines 16.

The reinforcing member conforms in contour to the upper part of the fork body and is formed with a tapering extension 31, terminating in a socket forming member 32, having the openings 14, which aline with the openings 13, in the member 23.

The prongs or tines 30, have openings 34,

which aliue with the openings of the prongs or tines l6, and extending through said alining openings are rivets 35, whereby the prongs iii are fixedly secured to the prongs l0, reinforcing the upper part thereof. The rivets I35, :ue rountcrsiuik in the prongs or tines l6 and 10.

The body All of the reini'oi'l-euient is formed with openings Bl), which register with the openings 2%), and also with the openings 26, in the lugs 25, when these are bent to overlap the hody 99, as shown in l ig. ii.

Extending through the registering open-- ings 2H, 26, and 36, are countersunk rivets 37, for securing the bodies 15 and 29 together.

The body 29 is formed with an opening near each end which registers with an open ing 19, and with an opening 25$, as the lips 27, are bent to overlap the liody 29. The ends of the body 29, are beveled to provide for the positioning of the overlapping lips 27. lilxtending through the openings 19, and 2S, and the openings in the body 29, which register with the openings 28, are countersunk rivets 38, whereby the ends of the bodies 15 and 29 are secured together.

The extensions 22, 31, are disposed at an inclination and in opposite directions with respect to each other. The members 23, 32 are semieylindricul in contour and one opposes the other, and which provides a socket for the handle 39. Extending through the alining openings 13 and let, are bolts or rivets 40, for fixedly securing the handle 39, to the members 23 and 32.

The fork is curved, as inclicate at 14-1, or rather concave. The reinforcement eonforms to the curvature of the fork body.

By providing the reinforcement element for the upper part of the fork body, the said upper part is materially strengthened and it tends to prevent the breaking off of the tines or prongs 16 from the body portion 15, as the upper part thereof is reinforced by the prongs or tines 30, and by this arrangement an unusually durable fork is provided.

What e claim is:

1. A fork for the urpose set forth com prising a curved b0 y formed with spaced prongs, a reinforcing element conforming in contour to the upper part of said body and positioned at the rear thereof, said reinforcing element having beveled corners, means for securing the reinforcin element to Said body and prongs, said he y having its upper corners bent to overlapthebevelcd corners of said element, said bent portions of said fork body providin lips,means for securing said lips, body ant relnforcing element together, bendable lugs carried by the body and overlapping said element, and

means for securing said lugs, body and ole length than the length of said body and Inent together. 4

'posiiioowi at the rear t re-d,

2. fork for the purpose set forth com prising a curved body formed with spared prongm u. reinforcing c ement conforming in ontour to the upper part of Mid body and aid a-eiui'orw ii g element having howlsi menus for securing the reinforcing element to said body and pazmgs, said lmdy h:-.\'in; ,1 its upper corners bent in overlap the beveled corners of said clement, said bent portions: of rzuid fork body providing iips, means for He curing M d lips. body and reinforcing elenicnt together, bendable lugs carried by the body and overlapping mid element, means for securing said lugs, body and element together, said body and said clement further including a tapering extension, an aportured soel-z'et forming member projecting from each of said extensions, said members opl fisil tg' each other to form a. socket. and a handlebar secured in said socket.

3. 4i, fork for the purpose set forth comprising a curved body portion formed from sheet metal and providml with spaced prongs, a reinforcing element formed from like material and conform ng in contour to the upper part of said body and prongs, said element of less length than the said body and pron s, means for securing said element to sait body and prongs, and a socket forming means for a handle projecting from said element and body, the socket formed by said means spaced from said element and body.

1 A fork for. the purpose set forth comprising a curved body portion formed from sheet metal and provided spaced with prongs, a reinforcing element formed from like materialnnd conforming in contour to the upper part of said body and prongs, said element of less length than the said body and prongs, means for securing said element to said body and prongs, and a socket forming means for a handle projecting from said element and body, the socket formed by said means spaced from said element and body, said element having beveled corners and said body portion having its corners bent to overlap the corners of said element and secured to the latter.

5. A fork comprising a sheet metal body provided with spaced prongs and bendable lugs, a sheet metal reinforcement of less length than the length of said body and prongs and conforming in contour to said body and prongs, said reinforcement positioned. at the rear of said body, said lugs bent to overlapsaid. reinforcement and secured thereto, and socket forming means projecting from said body and reinforceinent and integral therewith.

GI A fork comprising a sheet metal body provided with spaced prongs and bendable lugs, a sheet metal reinforcement of less prongs and conforming in contour to said body and prongs, said reinforcement positioned at the roar of said body, said lugs bent to overlap said reinforcement and secured thereto, and socket forming means projecting from said body and reinforcement and integral therewith, said reinforcement having beveled corners and said body having its corner bent to overlap the bevel corners of the reinforcement and secured thereto.

7. A fork for the purpose set forth comprising a curved body portion formed from sheet metal and provided with spaced prongs, a reinforcing element formed from like material and conforming in contour to the upper part of said body and prongs, said element of less length than the said body and prongs, means for securing said element to said body and pron s, and a socket forming means for a handib project ing from said element and body.

8. A fork for the purpose set forth comprising a curved body portion formed from sheet metal and provided with spaced prongs, a reinforcing element formed from like material and conforming in contour to the upper part of said body and prongs, said element of less length than the said body and prongs, means for securing said element to said body and prongs, and a socket forming means for a handle projecting from said element and body, said element having beveled corners and said body portion having its corners bent to overlap the corners of said element and secured to the latter.

9. A fork for the purpose set forth comprising a curved body portion including spaced prongs, a reinforcing element positioned at the rear of said body and prongs,

and conforming in contour to the upper part of said body and prongs, said element of less length than said body and prongs, countersunk rivets for securing the prongs of the body to the prongs of said element, countersunk rivets for securing of the elements togather, said body having portions thereof overlapping and secured to said element, and socket forn'iing means projecting from said element and body.

10. A fork, comprising a body and prongs stamped from a single piece of metal, and a reinforcing member secured to said body and having prongs Which reinforce the body prongs for a portion of their length, substantially as described.

1]. A fork, comprising a body and prongs stamped from a single piece of metal, and a reinforcing member secured to said body and having prongs which reinforce the body prongs for a portion of their length, said body and reinforcing element having cooperating socket forming means for the reception of handle, substantially as described.

12. A fork, comprising a body and prongs stamped from a single piece of metal, and a reinforcing member secured to said body and having prongs which reinforce the body prongs for a portion of their length, the reinforcing element conforming in contour to the parts it reinforces, substantially as described.

13. A reinforce for stamped metal forks, comprising a body portion and projecting prongs, and also having a handle attaching projection, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures.

SAMUEL D. ROBISON. CHARLES W. ROBISON. 

